This is the Curve gallery at the Barbican (which is free). There is nearly always good stuff in the Curve. It's always playful in nature and I think this one is one of my favourites for playfulness.
Artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer has created a sort of interactive radio interference project. As you walk through the Curve gallery a bright light from the left shines on you creating a large shadow of you on the right hand wall. This shadow is mapped with a red outline, pinpointing your location and movements.
Then as you move you body you find and interrupt Fm radio frequencies that are aimed at certain points. Making your shadow larger and smaller raises the lowers the volume.
So it feels like your body has suddenly become an antennae to enable the
broadcasting of Rinse FM or Meteor data. The little speakers along the
floor line then play the sound of what you have found.
It's very playful and I saw kids having a great time dancing around and making the radio turn on / off and change channel. It's as you step back that you realise the journey of walking through the gallery is exactly like scrolling the whole way though an analogue radio dial. A lovely idea. I felt like one of the borrowers on the set of Predator!
The show runs until January 18th.
Update: between 15th - 23rd Nov courtesy of the ICA Rafael Lozano-Hemmer will be creating the worlds largest interactive video installation in Trafalgar Square!